Leisure services and attractions

The Island has a wealth of history and culture from Roman villas, heroic figures, dinosaur bones, and royal visits, to entertainment, outdoor sports and fun activities for all. It has a certain charm all its own that we continue to enjoy as locals and when hosting our happy visitors at its many attractions.

To find out more, take a look at just a sample of what the Island has to offer.

The Island is rich with heritage sites and attractions to experience. Some of these are listed, but you can discover more hidden gems as worthy as these across the Island.

Museums

Visit the many niche museums scattered around the Isle of Wight and learn about our local history with:

• Museum of Island History
• Newport Roman Villa
• Dinosaur Isle (Museum of Isle of Wight Geology)
• Brading Roman Villa
• Cowes Maritime Museum.

There are also some lovely ancient churches to visit or maybe discover your family history such as All Saints Church in Freshwater and St Mildred's in Whippingham.

Castles, palaces, and forts

• Osborne House
• Carisbrooke Castle
  
• Fort Victoria country park
• Yarmouth Castle
• Appuldurcombe House

Smaller Island attractions

• Steam Railway
• Dinosaur Isle
• Quarr Abbey
• Arreton Craft Barns
  

The theatre

While not exactly the West End, you can 'get your culture on' and go to the local theatre to watch an entertaining show at 1Leisure Medina Theatre.

Find the fitness activity you enjoy with 1Leisure; visit their website for more information about the facilities and services around the Island.

Or get out into the open air and visit our country parks, and scenic walkways and cycle paths.

Outdoor sports

You can hire outdoor hard play and pitch facilities including a hard court area for activities, such as netball and tennis. Sports pitches are also available for hire for activities, such as cricket and football. Contact us for more details and to book our sports facilities for your private party, school outing, or corporate event.

Natural and outdoor attractions

• The Needles
• Robin Hill
• Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
• Monkey Haven
• Isle of Wight Zoo
• Arreton Down Wildlife Reserve
• Tapnell Farm

Scenic walks and cycling

If you fancy a day out hiking, try:

• Carisbrooke Castle loop
• Tennyson Down and the Needles loops
• Cowes coastal loop from Osborne House
• Solar system walk from Ventnor
• Shanklin Chine.

For cycling, you can try:

• Round the Island cycle route
• Out to the Needles loop
• Brading Marshes loop from Ryde
  
• Red Squirrel Trail from Shanklin.

These are only a few of the many other walks and cycleways to discover on the Island. Also, visit our beaches pages for more.

• Best zoos and wildlife parks in Isle of Wight – Day Out With The Kids
• Isle of Wight Walks – Walking Britain
• Cycling in the Isle of Wight – Komoot.com
• Hiking in the Isle of Wight – Komoot.com
• Parks and gardens – Visit Isle of Wight
• Local walks and trails – IOW Council